Some businesses are fundamentally high-margin, and some are low-margin. It mostly depends on the amount of raw materials involved.
For example, Microsoft (software) is a high-margin business. Their cost of raw materials is low, so 77% of revenues goes to pay for R&D, other expenses, and then profit.
Apple is a lower, but still a high-margin business with healthy 37% of revenues remaining after paying for the cost of materials and assembly. Apple can charge significantly more for their devices than they pay in raw material costs. But it may change, so Apple investors are generally watching its gross margins. For example, last year Apple's margin was 47%, i.e. it declined quite a bit since then.
Amazon (as any retailer) is a low-margin business. They move a lot of products, but 89% of the revenue goes to pay for those product. So only 11% of the total revenue is available for R&D costs and profit.
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Some businesses are fundamentally high-margin, and some are low-margin. It mostly depends on the amount of raw materials involved.
For example, Microsoft (software) is a high-margin business. Their cost of raw materials is low, so 77% of revenues goes to pay for R&D, other expenses, and then profit.
Apple is a lower, but still a high-margin business with healthy 37% of revenues remaining after paying for the cost of materials and assembly. Apple can charge significantly more for their devices than they pay in raw material costs. But it may change, so Apple investors are generally watching its gross margins. For example, last year Apple's margin was 47%, i.e. it declined quite a bit since then.
Amazon (as any retailer) is a low-margin business. They move a lot of products, but 89% of the revenue goes to pay for those product. So only 11% of the total revenue is available for R&D costs and profit.